Improvement in chucks for gas and water fittings



J. POWELL.

cI-IUcKs Toa GAS AND WATER FITTINGS. ANo. 189,652. PatentedApri117,1877.

ull 75@ 1u ll| l i NIPI'ERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAFHER, WSNINGTUN D Cy UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES POWELL, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN CHUCKS FOR GAS AND WATER FITTINGS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 189,652, dated April 17,1877; application iiled January 5, 1877.

To all whom it 'may concern Be it known that I, JAMES POWELL, ofCincinnati, in the county of Hamilton, and State of Ohio, have inventednew and useful improvements in chucks for holding valves or cocks orother fittings while being dressed, which improvements are fully set`forth in the following specification, and accompanying drawing, in whichlatter- Figure 1 is a front elevation of my device, showing aglobe-valve grasped in the chucks, the neck of said valveA beingpresented for the action of the finishing-tool. Fig. 2 is a verticalsection of the same. Fig. 3 is a partially sectionized side elevation ofthe device, a socket-wrench being shown as applied to the stem orspindle of the upper table, and` the two chucks represented as rotatedone fourth of a revolution, thereby presen ting one of the pipe-ends ofthe valve to the action of the finishing-tool. Fig. 4 is a horizonalsection at the line i Fig. 5 is a plan of the device. F1g. 6 is aperspective view of one of the detachable chucks removed from its holderor table. Fig. 7 is an elevation of the upper table removed from itsappropriate jaw. Fig.

8 is an enlarged plan of said table, and Figs.

9 and l0 show modiiications of the invention.

This invention relates to that class of chucks which are capable ofbeing temporarily coupled to the head-stock of a turning-lathe to facilitate dressing or iinishing the two pipe-ends and the necks ofglobe-valves, cocks, and similar devices, without removing the valvefrom the chuck; and the irst part of my improvements comprises thefollowing combination of appliances.

The chucks proper consist, preferably, of two metallic plates, suitablyrecessed or excavated to embrace the spherical portion or shell of thevalve, or cock, or other fitting, said plates being also adapted tograsp the valve around its square or other non-circular ends, andthereby hold it in the most firm and secure manner while being dressed.These embracing-chucks are provided with dovetail tongues or tenons thatengage readily with undercut grooves in the opposing faces of two ilattables or chuck-holders, said tables being each furnished with acylindrical stem or shank, or spindle fitting in suitable sockets in twoopposing and adjustable jaws.

Said jaws are confined to a rectilineal path by being applied to agrooved cross-head or box, or housing, which latter is capable of beingreadily united to the head-stock of any ordinary turning-lathe, as willpresently appear. This box or plate or housing has journaled in it ashaft, uponwhich is chased aright and left hand screw, whichreversely-pitched threads engage with the nutted portions of theopposing jaws, and, by properly manipulating or rotating said shaft,these jaws are compelled to advance simultaneously toward each other, orto recede in the same manner, as may be required. One of these jawscarries a spring-bolt, or its equivalent locking device, capable ofengaging with one of a series of sockets in the flat or ungroovedsurface of the table that is applied to said jaw. The object of thisspring-bolt is to temporarily lock said table in either one of a seriesof predetermined positions, thereby securely retaining the valve, orcock, or other tting in the proper place to be operated on by theappropriate dressing-tool or other implement. The second part of myimprovements comprises a novel combination and location of devices,whereby the application of an ordinary socket-wrench performs thetwofold purpose of dislodging the spring-bolt from the table, and alsoof rotating said table, and, with the latter, the chucks and the valvegrasped between them.

'lo accomplish this result l cause the upper end of the spring-bolt toproject through the top of the jaw, and then couple this projecting endto a pivoted lever or latch, which latter has its free end located nearthe center of the jaw or in close proximity to the extremity of thespindle of the socketed table. Now, by simply forcing the socket-Wrenchdown on the noncircular extremity of the aforesaid spindle, the free endof the lever will be at once depressed, thus elevating the spring-boltfar enough to disengage it from the table, which latter is then atliberty to be turned either to the right or left by said wrench.

The third part of my invention consists in Iitting in each jaw a steelor other hard-metal plate, which plates serve as bearings for thespindles or stems of the rotating tables or chuckholders, as hereinaftermore fully described.

The principal member of my device consists of a stout box or frame orcross-head, or other suitable housing, A, having a rearwardlyprojectingand screw-threaded boss, a, wherewith said housing is temporarily, butsecurely, coupled to the head-stock ot' a turning-lathe, so as to rotatetherewith. This box or bearing, which may be ci' any convenient shape,is rabbcted longitudinally at b, and provided with two opposite andparallel tongues, B B', which devices b and li B' guide in a proper pathtwo shiftable jaws, that will be presently be described. These tongues BB are shown more clearly in Fig. 4.

Attached to the ends of this housing A, by screws c d, are caps U l),whose rabbeted faces c' d are rlush with rabbet b.

These caps have journaled in them the unthreaded stems e of a shal't, E,which latter has chased upon it a right-hand screw, F, and and aleft-hand thread, F', as seen in Fig. 2. Collars e on said shaft bearagainst the inner faces of caps U l), and nonvcircular shanks e enablethe convenient rotation of the device E F F' upon the application toeither of these shanks of any suitable socket-wrench.

0f these reversely-pitched screws the one F engages with nut G ot' ajaw, G, grooved at g g to receive the tongues B B ot' housing A, as seenin Fig. 4. The other screw, F, engages with nut H ot a similar, butopposing, jaw, H, which is grooved in the same manner as is jaw G.

The upper jaw H H is chambered out at I, to contain the cylindrical stemor spindle K of the upper chuck-holder or table L, which spindle may beeither cast with or otherwise secured to said table. Stem K is groovedcircumferentially at k to receive a pin, screw, or other retainingdevice, h, apable of coupling said stem to the jaw in such a manner asto allow the free rotation ot' the members K L as soon as said table isunlocked from jaw H. Furthermore, said stem is furnished with aninclined or beveled shoulder, le', and a noncircular shank, k, as moreclearly seen in Fig. 7. This beveled shoulder k seats against a steel orother hard-metal bearing, h', as seen in Fig. 2, which hearing-plate islocated at the upper end of chamber I. A bore, J, in jaw H, andpreferably in the rear of spindle K, is traversed by a bolt, M, that ismaintained in its normal or depressed position by a spiral or any othersuitable spring, m. The upper end of bolt M takes hohl ot' a lever orlatch, N, pivoted to jaw H at n.

This latch is preferably slotted at its forward end, to permit thesquare shank k" ot' spindle K passing through said lever, as seen inFig. 5. The lower end ot' bolt M is adapted to enter either one ot' aseries ot' sockets or pockets, l, in the ungrooved surface of rotatingtable or chuckholder L, whose opposite face is provided with adovetailed groove, l',

to receive the correspondingly-shaped tongue o of the upper chuck O.although this tongue and groove may be omitted and any other convenientdevices may be substituted for them.

Chuck 0 is recessed at P to embrace the shell or globe or otherspherical portion of the valve or cock or other article to be nished,and the chuck is notched at p p to tit around the valve near itspipe-ends.

Flat ledges or bearings p prevent any rotation of the cock by graspingthe square or hexagonal or octagonal terminations that are customarilycast at the pipe ends of most valves and cocks.

The lower chuck Q is constructed in a precisely similar manner, and isfurnished with a dovetail tenon or tongue, q, that enters groove 'r ot'the lower chuck holder or table R., whose spindle or stem S is groovedcircumt'erentially at s. to receive the pin or screw T, which latter isinserted in the lower jaw G. This lower chuck Q is provided with twohorizontal ledges, q', precisely similar to the ones p" of the upperchuck, and like said upper chuck the one Q is recessed and notched, soas to grasp the shell of the valve or other fitting in a very securemanner. Spindle S terminates with a conical point, u, whose bearingconsists of a hard-metal plate, U, at the end of chamber V of the lowerjaw G.

The upper table or chuck holder may be of disk shape, as shown at W, andthe periphery ot' said disk or wheel can be provided with notches fw, toreceive a modified form of locking device, M. In this case the bolt M'is located alongside the jaw H, and is operated by an external spring,m', that exerts an upward pressure against the lever or latch N', whichlatter is adapted to be operated by hand, and not by a socket-wrench.Furthermore, this disk is furnished with radial sockets w', to receiveany suitable pointed implement wherewith to rotate said circular table.Or, the locking device M may be arranged to operate in a horizontalplane, and be capable of engagement with either of said radial socketsw', or with other depressions or pits in the wheel or disk W.

Y are counterbores in caps G and D, to receive the socket-wrench Z.,which latter is of such size and shape as to fit readily upon the shankk ot' spindle K, as seen in Fig. 3.

y are screws wherewith the detachable chucks 0 and Q are coupled totheir respective retable tables L and R, in such a manner as to maintainthe cock in its proper position while being finished, and, it'preferred, the

I dovetail attachments o l 1' q may be dispensed with when said screwsare employed.

As the ledges p" grasp the heavy ends of the valve there is no danger ofspringing the comparatively thin shell or spherical portion thatcontains the seat, because said shell or globe is situated within therecess P, which latter is ot' relatively greater diameter than is Asaidshell.

In ordinary chucks, where the pressure is leemte` thrown directly uponthe thin shell, and not on the thick and unyielding pipe-ends, itfrequently happens that the cock is sprung while in the chucks, and assoon as it is removed from the lathe the shelll at once assumes anentirely different shape, which defect must be overcome by a subsequentfinishing operation.

All these annoyances are completely obviated by the above-describedarrangement of deep recessP and grasping-ledges lo, or their equivalentbearings, such as lugs or pins or other projecting members.

A number of balls, X, may be introduced between either of the tables andtheir appropriate jaws, so as to diminish friction, the

balls being adapted to revolve in semicircular annular grooves, as seenin `Fig. 10.

The preferred method of applying my chuck to an ordinary turning-lathe,and employing the device in inishing globe-valves or other fittings, isas follows:

The boss a is first engagfl with the headstock mandrel, and thehead-stock is rotated until jaw H is vertically above said mandrel,vasthis is themost convenient position for manipulating the'ilevic'e.Socket-wrench Z is then applied to the upper shank e of the screw-shaftE F F', and said shaft is rotated in such amanner as to causea recessionof the two jaws G and H. The chucks O and Q are now engaged with 'theirrespective holders or tables L and R., and the valve or cock is placedin its proper position within the lower chuck Q, .it being understoodthat a separate pair of chucks is employed for each distinct size ofvalve or cock or other tting to 'be iinished. The reversely-threadedscrew F F' is then properly rotated, so as to close the jaws Gr H, whichact causes the spherical portion of the valve to be surrounded by therecesses P of the two chucks, while their ledges p and g grasp the flatfacets at the pipe-ends in such a secure manner as to effectuallyprevent any rotation or shifting of the valve. When thus properlysecured in position, the axis of the cock or other iitting is exactly inline with the lathe-centers, and it is evident the cock can now benished in the most expeditious .manner, and without removing it from thechucks.

Now, presuming that the neck of the valve is presented toward the tailstock of the lathe, the first proceeding will be to bore out theinterior of said neck and cut the appropriate valve-seat in the cock.

These two acts are accomplished at a single operation, by simplyshifting a monitor tool-holder toward the head-stock, thereby causing anappropriate tool to enter the neck and bore out the latter, andimmediately thereafter to cut the valve-seat, it being understood thatthe head-stock, together with box or housing A and its attachments, hasfirst been caused to revolve in the usual mannel'.

As soon as the valve-seat is cut the monitor-holder is retracted androtated so as to present a tool for dressing the exterior of the neck,which dressing having been accomplished, another retraction of saidholder is effected, and another tool brought to bear for cutting themale thread around said neck.

This presentation of the neck for the action of the appropriatefinishing-tools is seen in Figs. l and 2. The monitor-holder is thenretracted, and the rotation of the head-stock is arrested so as topermit the application of the socket-wrench Z to the nowupwardly-projecting shank la" of spindle K, which wrench is forced asfar down down on said shank as may be necessary, By this means the lowerend of wrench Z is brought in contact with the slotted portion of leverN, thereby depressing said lever and elevating bolt M, so as todisengage the latter from table L.

The wrench is now employed for rotating spindle K and its attached tableL, and, as soon as the latter has been caused to perform one-fourth of arevolution, bolt M instantly flies down into another socket, l, andlocks said table securely in its new position.

As the several devices K, L, O, Q, R, and S are clamped tightlytogether, it is evident they all rotate in unison with the upper tableL, and, as a result of this simultaneous rotation of said devices,- oneof the pipe-ends of the cock is now presented toward the tailstock ofthe lathe. The monitor-holder being again brought into service,saidpipe-end is bored out, and then the customary female thread is cuttherein, after which the monitorholder is retracted.

The rotation of the head-stock is again arrested, the spring-bolt Mdisengaged from table L, andthe latter is then turned aroundhorizontally until the other pipe end of the cock is brought to a properposition to be operated on by the appropriate tools, when the abovedescribed manipulations of finishing the pipe ends are repeated, afterwhich the cock is released from the chucks by opening the jaws G H.Another cock is then applied to the open jaws, and subjected to the sameconsecutive series of operations and manipulations. As the valves arenot removed from the chucks until they are iinislied, it is evident notime is lost in changing the fittings, and, consequently, all dressingoperations are effected in the most expeditious, thorough, and uniformmanner, the cocks or valves, when finished, being exact fac-similes ofeach other in every respect.

In this specification, wherever the terms upperjaw 7 and lower jaw 7occur they are to be understood as mere relative terms employed fordesignating the position of said jaws for the time being, as neither ofthem can be properly termed the upper or lower jaw while the head-stockrotates.

It is evident the position of housing A and its chuck attachments may beexactly reversed with reference to the finishing-toolsthat is to say,such tools may be caused to revolve while the chucks are stationary inthe tail-stock of the lathe, and the cock or other fitting is heldrigidly in said chucks during the time the tools are operating aroundthe valve. I have described the two jaws G H as capable of advancing andreceding simultaneously by means of the compound screw E F F', but it isevident each jaw may have its individual screw, if preferred. By thisarrangement either of the jaws can be adjusted without changing theposition of its opposing one.

Finally, the boss a may be omitted, and the housing A can be coupledeither to the head- Stock or tail-stock, in any convenient manner.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of housing A, adjustablejaws G H, rotable tables L R, and removable chucks 0 Q, one of saidtables, L, being capable of locking at any desired position,substantially as herein described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. An improved lathe-chuck, consisting of housing A a. C D,reversely-threaded shaft E F F', simultaneously butoppositely-adjustable jaws G G' H H', rotating tables L R. anddetachable chucks O Q, one of said tables, L, being capable of lockingat any desired position, substantially as herein described, and for thepurpose set forth.

3. The combination of housing A a U D, simultaneously-adjustable jaws GGJ H H',

rotating tables K L R. S, and locking devices l M m, or theirequivalents, substantially as herein described, and for the purpose setforth.

4. The combination of the pivoted lever N with the pin ortbolt M, andthe table L with its pintle K, as and for the purpose described.

5. The combination, in the jaws of a lathechuck, of the anti-frictionbearings h' and U, for supporting the respective spindles K and S ofrotable tables L and R, substantially as herein described, and for thepurpose set forth.

6. In combination with lathe-chuck O and rotable table L, theretaining-screw y, as and for the purpose described.

7. The removable chuck O, recessed at P, notched at p p', and providedwith ledges or projections p", which ledges are adapted to grasp thepipe-ends of a cock, substantially as herein described, and for thepurpose set forth.

8. The removable chuck O, when constructed with a recess, P, notches pp', ledges p", and a dovetail tenon, o, which latter engages with theunder-cut groove l' of the rotable table L, substantially as hereindescribed, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand.

JAMES POWELL.

Witnesses:

JAMES H. LAYMLAN, L. H. BOND.

